Villagers under Rong Bong panchayat yearn for pure drinking water

February 20, 2017

FROM A CORRESPONDENT

GOLAGHAT (Dhekial), Feb 19: The people of greater Rong Bong Panchayat under Morangi Development Block of Golaghat district are living in an unhygienic environment without facilities for supply for pure drinking water.

At a time when the government has been taking various developmental programmes in rural areas, villagers under Rong Bong Gaon Panchayat have to fight for a drop of pure drinking water. A section of villagers lamented that even in the 21st century, pure drinking water is still a far cry in villages like 1 No. Rong Bong Gaon, 3 No. Rong Bong Gaon, Bogamati, 4 No. Rong Bong Gaon, Tongtong Toli and harjan.

Notably, the villages are situated near Numaligarh Refinery Limited. There are various developmental schemes for rural areas under Numaligarh Refinery Limited within the distance 10 km. But even after 25 years of establishment of NRL, the authority concerned has not taken any initiative to provide drinking water system to the villagers.

Interestingly, in these villages arsenic and fluoride have been found in the water. Villagers are even forced to collect water from ponds, tube wells and shallow pits which are also frequented by domestic animals, in order to meet their drinking water need, thereby exposing the residents to various diseases. Villagers have appealed to the government as well as NRL authority to take initiative for providing pure drinking water.